Heat stable milk protein product and method for its manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat stable milk protein product. Particularly, the invention relates to a heat stable milk protein product which can be used as a meat substitute that can be heated by microwaves, fried or grilled. The present invention relates also processes for producing such heat stable milk protein products.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A meat substitute produced from a composition consisting essentially of:
 cheese in crumbled form, 
 a native casein concentrate, 
 a protein crosslinking enzyme, 
 a hydrocolloid in an amount of 0.5% to 10% (w/w), 
 optionally fat, and 
 optionally lactose, 
 wherein the meat substitute has a milk protein content of about of about 10% to about 55%, a fat content of about 0% to about 20%, a lactose content of about 0% to about 5%, and a pH of about 5.2 to about 5.9, and 
 wherein the meat substitute is heat stable which does not melt when fried and/or does not scorch onto frying ware when fried, and the meat substitute has a fibrous microstructure of crosslinked casein proteins having a size of about 100 to 300 kDa. 
 
     
     
       2. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the milk protein content of the meat substitute is about 20% to about 50%. 
     
     
       3. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the milk protein content of the meat substitute is about 23% to about 26%. 
     
     
       4. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the fat content of the meat substitute is from about 5% to about 7.5%. 
     
     
       5. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the pH of the meat substitute is about 5.2 to about 5.5. 
     
     
       6. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the protein crosslinking enzyme is selected from transglutaminase, tyrosinase and laccase. 
     
     
       7. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the meat substitute contains the protein crosslinking enzyme in an amount of 0.2 U enzyme/g protein to about 20U enzyme/g protein. 
     
     
       8. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the meat substitute contains the protein crosslinking enzyme in an amount of about 2U enzyme/g protein. 
     
     
       9. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocolloid is selected from pectin, gelatine, starch, starch hydrolysates, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, gellan gum, acacia, agar, alginates, konjac, mannan, pullulan, carob, beta glucan, carrageen, polydextrose, cellulose and cellulose derivatives. 
     
     
       10. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocolloid is calcium alginate or sodium alginate. 
     
     
       11. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the hydrocolloid in the meat substitute is in the range of 3.4% to 4.3% (w/w). 
     
     
       12. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the hydrocolloid in the meat substitute product is about 4.1% (w/w). 
     
     
       13. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the carbohydrate content of the meat substitute is from 3.5% to 3.7%. 
     
     
       14. The meat substitute of  claim 1 , wherein the meat substitute is in the form of a block, a cube, a mince, a slice, a stripe, a grain or a block pressed from the cubes, minces, slices, stripes and/or grains. 
     
     
       15. A meat substitute produced from a composition consisting essentially of:
 cheese in crumbled form, 
 a native casein concentrate powder, 
 a protein crosslinking enzyme, 
 a hydrocolloid in an amount of 0.5% to 10% (w/w), 
 optionally fat, and 
 optionally lactose, 
 wherein the meat substitute has a milk protein content of about 10% to about 55%, a fat content of about 0% to about 20%, a lactose content of about 0% to about 5%, a pH of about 5.2 to about 5.9, and 
 wherein the ratio of the conventional cheese in crumbled form to the native casein concentrate powder is in the range of 10:1-14:1 (w/w), and 
 wherein the meat substitute is heat stable which does not melt when fried and/or does not scorch onto frying ware when fried, and the meat substitute has a fibrous microstructure of crosslinked casein proteins having a size of about 100 to 300 kDa. 
 
     
     
       16. A composition comprising:
 cheese in crumbled form, 
 a native casein concentrate, 
 a protein crosslinking enzyme, 
 a hydrocolloid in an amount of 0.5% to 10% (w/w), 
 optionally fat, and 
 optionally lactose, 
 wherein the composition is heated to provide a meat substitute having a milk protein content of about of about 10% to about 55%, a fat content of about 0% to about 20%, a lactose content of about 0% to about 5%, and a pH of about 5.2 to about 5.9, and 
 wherein the meat substitute is heat stable which does not melt when fried and/or does not scorch onto frying ware when fried, and the meat substitute has a fibrous microstructure of crosslinked casein proteins having a size of about 100 to 300 kDa. 
 
     
     
       17. A composition comprising:
 cheese in crumbled form, 
 a native casein concentrate powder, 
 a protein crosslinking enzyme, 
 a hydrocolloid in an amount of 0.5% to 10% (w/w), 
 optionally fat, and 
 optionally lactose, 
 wherein the ratio of the cheese in crumbled form to the native casein concentrate powder is in the range of 10:1-14:1 (w/w), and 
 wherein the composition is heated to provide a meat substitute having a milk protein content of about 10% to about 55%, a fat content of about 0% to about 20%, a lactose content of about 0% to about 5%, a pH of about 5.2 to about 5.9, and 
 wherein the meat substitute is heat stable which does not melt when fried and/or does not scorch onto frying ware when fried, and the meat substitute has a fibrous microstructure of crosslinked casein proteins having a size of about 100 to 300 kDa.